Awakening：The Infinite Evolution of My Talent as a Low-Level Awakener

In an instant, dozens of pairs of eyes locked onto Sterl. An invisible pressure surged toward him like a tidal wave. For an ordinary person, facing the gaze of even a dozen peers might induce fear or unease.

Now, however, the owners of these gazes were none other than bona fide gods. The mere sight of a god's gaze could impose an unbearable pressure on beings below the demigod level. Even for those who were also gods, such attention couldn't be ignored.

Dozens of gazes, each infused with a trace of divine majesty and divine authority, bore down on him. Despite Sterl's composed exterior, he felt a slight weight under this collective scrutiny. After all, his true strength was only that of a humble third-class player.

That said, Sterl had endured far greater pressures before. Even without activating ascend to godhood, divine descent, or any of his augmentation abilities, his resilience now was leagues beyond what it once was. Having withstood the power of an upper-tier god before, these pressures from minor Divine Power beings were trivial by comparison.

Maintaining his composure, he met their gazes with a steady, profound look, betraying no hint of fear or hesitation. His calm demeanor subtly elevated his standing in the eyes of the other gods.

With an air of authority, Sterl strode confidently forward, flanked by Morette and the other gods. He approached the core area and sat down on one of the vacant divine thrones, exuding an aura of natural command.

At this, the gods present exchanged subtle looks. The arrival of this mysterious new god, Hades, seemed to have earned the full endorsement of Morette and his companions. There was even an unspoken implication that Hades might be leading this group.

"Welcome, Mr. Hades. Welcome to the Ancient One Hall of the royal city," spoke a god seated in the core area once everyone had taken their seats.

"You may call me Eterna. I am currently overseeing the resistance against the invasion of native forces during the royal city's fusion with this world."

Sterl turned his gaze toward the speaker. Eterna appeared young, with androgynous features and a soft, almost delicate beauty. He exuded an air of warmth, more akin to a wandering bard than a god.

Yet Sterl couldn't afford to lower his guard. Beneath Eterna's gentle appearance lay formidable power. He was a god wielding three divine authorities: Hot Springs, Illusions, and Hunting.

Not only were these authorities highly advanced in their domains, but Eterna's Divine Power was also at the peak of the minor Divine Power tier. He was only a single step away from ascending to the rank of an upper-tier god.

Sterl's sharp instincts warned him that Eterna would be a force to reckon with.

This was, by far, the most powerful minor Divine Power god Sterl had encountered to date. The only reason Eterna hadn't broken through to become an upper-tier god, Sterl surmised, was likely due to his commitment to safeguarding the royal city during its fusion with the world.

If Eterna ascended to the upper-tier level, though he would undoubtedly gain immense power, he would also be bound by numerous constraints. Remaining at the peak of minor Divine Power allowed him far greater flexibility and freedom in his actions.

"Thank you so much for your generous intervention," Eterna said, his tone sincere. "Should you be willing, you will always be a respected guest of the Nation of Orichalcum."

He nodded toward Sterl, his expression full of gratitude.

Sterl's gaze swept over the Ancient One Hall, where sixty or so divine thrones were arranged in perfect symmetry. Yet, nearly twenty of them now stood empty.

This meant that roughly one-third of the Nation of Orichalcum's gods had perished during recent conflicts—a devastating loss and a stain on their legacy. For a nation so dependent on divine authority, the recruitment of every new god carried immense significance, especially someone as powerful as Hades.

Still, Eterna held some skepticism about Hades' extraordinary feats—defeating five gods, one of whom wielded dual divine authorities. Such a feat exceeded what even the strongest minor Divine Power gods should be capable of, including himself.

Eterna suspected that Hades must have used an exceptionally rare artifact to achieve such a temporary burst of power, likely taking advantage of an ambush scenario to tilt the odds in his favor. This explanation seemed far more plausible to him and the other gods than the glowing accounts provided by Morette and his companions, which they dismissed as desperate embellishments born from fear.

Sterl, however, merely nodded in response, his expression remaining neutral, offering no further explanation.

"Are there no upper-tier gods present? Or have they all failed to descend into this world?"

His eyes scanned the room, taking in the assembly of minor Divine Power gods. From his perspective, none of them posed a real threat—there wasn't a single one among them he deemed truly capable. Still, this worked to his advantage, minimizing the risk of his true nature being exposed while making it easier and safer to navigate the situation.

Eterna's expression suddenly turned grave, and he addressed the gathered gods in a measured, solemn tone.

"I trust all of you are now aware of the vile attacks orchestrated by Ashen and their allied native forces. The eastern, northern, and southern territories have nearly simultaneously suffered their insidious assaults.

"Even the gods we sent as reinforcements have been ambushed deep within what should be the royal city's protected heartland."

His words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the precarious state of their defenses.

"This means that if the enemy so desires, our surveillance and defenses are nothing but a sad joke. They can strike at the royal city anytime they please. For us, this poses an enormous threat."

At this moment, Morette and the other gods who had narrowly survived stood up, each recounting their harrowing encounters.

They left nothing out, detailing every aspect of their experiences. As their accounts unfolded, the mood of the gathered gods shifted—from somber to horrified, from apprehensive to outright dread.

However, when they reached the part where Hades—disguised as another identity—appeared out of nowhere and obliterated the Ashen gods in an instant, the assembly fell into stunned silence.

Fearful as they were of their own narrow escapes, the gods couldn't help but doubt the story. Were they joking? Instantly killing five minor Divine Power gods? Even an upper-tier god would struggle to pull that off. Their gazes naturally drifted back toward Sterl, seated calmly on his throne.

"Hm? Why are they all staring at me again? Do I have something on my face? Or am I just too handsome for even gods to resist my charm?"

Sterl inwardly grumbled to himself, utterly unaware of the seismic impact his supposed actions had made on these gods.

Once Morette, Diana, and the other survivors from the Southern War Preparedness Zone finished their detailed recounting, an oppressive silence settled over the room.

The gathered gods couldn't help but question the consistency of the accounts. Had Hades bribed them all? How could every god describe the events so uniformly? Were the Ashen gods truly so incompetent, such pathetic pushovers that they fell like weaklings in a single strike?

That didn't make sense. These gods had fought Ashen's forces before and knew their strength. They were evenly matched in most respects. So why did these gods crumble like small potatoes in front of Hades? Not even slaughtering chickens would be that swift and effortless.

Even Eterna, seated at the heart of the room, couldn't hide his astonishment. Unfortunately, due to the chaotic nature of battles between gods, the resulting distortions of divine laws made it impossible to reconstruct what had happened. They had no choice but to rely on the accounts provided by Morette and the others.

After a long pause, Eterna finally broke the silence.

"The native forces have evidently mastered a Shielding Power capable of concealing even from gods. This poses a significant disadvantage for us. They strike from the dark; we fight in the open. One misstep, and we risk falling into another of their meticulously laid traps."

The gods nodded in agreement.

They had deployed countless detection measures along the frontlines of the conflict, ensuring that even a mosquito flying through would be noticed. And yet, the enemy had still managed to infiltrate deep into their territory without making a sound.

The implications were chilling.

"So, I've decided to consult the upper-tier gods for their opinions."

"I agree!"

"We absolutely must find a way to break that Shielding Power, or it will remain a tremendous disadvantage for us."

"Exactly. To win a hundred battles, one must know the enemy as well as oneself. Those natives fight with despicable methods, and we must be fully prepared!"

"If we can enlist the help of the upper-tier gods, it would undoubtedly be for the best. That way, we could wipe out those damned natives in one decisive strike!"

The other gods all voiced their agreement one after another. Even Sterl adopted a serious expression, though his thoughts churned beneath the surface. Fortunately, he hadn't acted rashly earlier. This level of divine power, as expected, carried the capability to call upon upper-tier gods.

Moreover, with the right tools, it might even be possible for them to temporarily lift the restrictions on upper-tier gods, allowing them to fight with their full might. If that were the case, he might end up facing upper-tier divine authorities from the Ashen faction directly. His earlier plan to swiftly eliminate Ashen now seemed far more complicated.

Seeing unanimous agreement, Eterna didn't hesitate. He retrieved a radiant crystal emitting an iridescent glow and began channeling it through a special method to communicate with the upper-tier gods.

Not long after, a surge of overwhelming power descended into the hall. Sterl immediately recognized it—it was the unmistakable power of an upper-tier divine authority.

Yet, Sterl remained calm. Now that he was officially part of the Orichalcum faction, he was protected by their structure. Even if an upper-tier god were to arrive in person, they wouldn't be able to uncover his true identity. After all, no matter how powerful an upper-tier god might be, they couldn't surpass the surveillance capabilities of the entire royal city.

And even if the worst were to happen, Sterl had contingency plans. He could always activate the invincibility ability he had obtained from the Golden Code and force his way out.

On top of that, he had a plethora of resurrection options. Unless he actively sought his own demise, there wasn't much anyone could do to truly stop him. At worst, he could log out entirely—just as he had done during the Golden Code acquisition—and wait things out on Earth before logging back in.

He didn't believe that the gods of the Nation of Orichalcum would waste their time camping for him while the native forces continued to pose an active threat.

With this realization, the lingering anxiety in his heart dissipated. Instead, a bold and intriguing idea began to take shape in his mind.

What if he could showcase his power in front of the upper-tier gods? Could that elevate his status within the Nation of Orichalcum, granting him control over significant resources and authority?

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. As long as his identity didn't align with Ashen or other enemy factions, this could truly be within reach.

…